1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing system and image processing apparatus for efficiently managing read image data, an information processing method for use therewith, a program thereof, and a recording medium thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
As image processing apparatuses have become popular, it has become possible for anybody to easily copy and transmit documents. However, although the convenience has improved for a user, significant problems regarding information leakage from copying and transmitting secret documents have occurred. As countermeasures against such problems, there is an image processing apparatus for storing all the read image data in a recording device during copying and transmission. As a result, a manager can trace a leaked document by checking the image data in the image processing apparatus that read the information of the leaked document with regard to when, where, and how the document was processed.
Additionally, there is an image processing apparatus including means, in which image patterns of paper money, valuable securities, and the like are recorded in advance for the purpose of preventing counterfeit thereof, for performing processing on an output image so as to verify that it is a copy when the features of the read image data are extracted and it is determined to be a copy prohibited document, for stopping a copying operation, and for issuing a notification (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-270477).
However, in the conventional image processing apparatus, since all of the read image data is stored in a recording device, when information leakage occurs, the manager needs to check the image data sequentially to trace when, where, and how it was processed, and a significant amount of time is required.
In the image processing apparatus for extracting the features of the read image data and determining whether it is a copy prohibited document, since patterns of copy prohibited documents must be stored in advance in the image processing apparatus, types of documents desired to be monitored are limited, and the documents cannot be changed easily.
Against such a background, there has been a demand for an image processing apparatus that is capable of easily examining read image data under various monitoring conditions.